Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
Buy the Air+ only if you want two different feels in one cushion: firmer foam on one face, softer beads in mesh on the other. If one soft bead surface under your bump is enough, the Multirelax Cotton does that job with fewer layers to care for.
- Cotton: one microbead surface, cotton cover.
- Air+: foam and jersey face, beads and mesh face.
- Decider: do you want to switch firmness?
What is the difference between Multirelax Cotton and Multirelax Air+?
The Multirelax Cotton is a curved cushion filled with polystyrene microbeads in a cotton cover, with one feel. The Air+ is reversible: one face is memory foam under cotton jersey, the other is microbeads behind a micro-perforated mesh.
We could not open Candide's own site on October 8, 2026, as it blocked our reader. Everything below comes from the Candide product names and from French retailer listings that repeat the maker's specs. Treat sizes as listed, not measured.
| Multirelax Cotton | Multirelax Air+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Surfaces | One | Two, reversible |
| Face 1 | Microbeads under a cotton cover | Memory foam under cotton jersey, the firmer side |
| Face 2 | None | Microbeads behind micro-perforated mesh, the softer side |
| Fill | 100% polystyrene microbeads | 100% polystyrene beads plus 100% polyurethane foam |
| Listed size | Varies by listing, about 69 x 39 to 44 x 14 cm | About 58 x 36 x 19 cm, 70 cm zip |
| Cover care | Removable, machine wash 30°C | Removable, machine wash 30°C |
| Price seen | About €70 to €90, by fabric and print | About €84 to €100 at French retailers |
Candide sells many Multirelax prints and fabrics, from polycotton to jersey to organic cotton. The word in the name tells you the cover, not always the structure inside. Look for "Air+" on the label if you want the two-face version.
What does each surface feel like under your bump?
Retailer descriptions call the foam face firm and the bead face softer and more airy. The Cotton has only the bead feel. So the Air+ gives you a choice each night, and the Cotton gives you one setting.
Beads shift to fill the gap under your bump and keep moving a little as you do. Foam holds its own shape and pushes back more evenly. Neither is better. They suit different bodies and different weeks.
2:20 a.m.
Farrah was 22 weeks, it was July in Phoenix, and her bump cushion felt like a hot water bottle. She lay on her side with it wedged under her belly, then pulled it out, then pushed it back in. Sam, half awake, offered to turn the fan up again. She was not sure if she wanted firmer support or just less heat against her skin, and at 2 a.m. it felt like the same question.
"the fabric is not breathable. It kept me too toasty while super pregnant in the summer."Amazon review of a pregnancy pillow (not Candide)
The Air+ is really two cushions in one cover. You are paying for the second face, so only buy it if you will use it.
Candide describes the mesh side as letting air through. We have not tested how much difference it makes in a warm bedroom.
How should you read the Multirelax sizes?
The listed sizes are the cushion lying flat on a table: length, width, height. They tell you how much bed it takes, not how much lift it gives under your bump once you lie on it.
- Length (about 58 cm on the Air+, about 23 in) is the curve's outside edge. It is shorter than most adult torsos, so it supports one area, not your whole side.
- Height (about 19 cm on the Air+, about 7.5 in) is the thickest point before you press on it. Beads sink more than foam, so the bead face will feel lower once you settle.
- Cotton sizes vary between listings, from about 69 to 74 cm long. Check the exact listing you buy from.
- Ignore baby measurements. Some listings quote a weight range for a baby seat mode. That has nothing to do with how the cushion fits you.
Both versions come with an adjustable belt for Candide's baby seat mode. We do not cover that use here. When you use the cushion for yourself, the belt plays no part, and for anything involving a baby, follow Candide's own manual.
How do you care for each surface?
On both, the cover comes off and machine washes at 30°C (86°F). The inner bead part should not go in the machine. Retailer care notes say to wipe it with a damp cloth and keep water out.
- Cotton cover: machine wash at 30°C.
- Air+ cover: machine wash at 30°C. Close the 70 cm zip first.
- Bead section (both): surface clean with a damp cloth only.
- Air+ foam face: we could not find a separate instruction. Check the sewn-in label before washing anything inside the cover.
- Drying: make sure the cover is fully dry before it goes back over the beads.
For more on covers and inserts in general, see how to wash a pregnancy pillow. For how foam, beads and fiber compare as fillings, see our fillings guide.
Multirelax Cotton or Air+: which should you buy?
Buy the Air+ if you want to switch between a firm and a soft feel, or you run hot and want to try the mesh side. Buy the Cotton if a soft bead cushion under your bump is all you need and you want the simpler, usually cheaper version.
- I am not sure if I like firm or soft: Air+, you get both.
- I know I like squishy beads: Cotton.
- I want the least to care for: Cotton, one fill, one cover.
- I need support behind my back too: neither covers back and bump at once. Plan for a second pillow.
- I am in the US: Candide is a French brand. Check shipping and return costs first.
One French parent review site has owners calling the Multirelax bulky in bed. That fits its shape: it is built to sit under one part of you, and it does that one job.
Farrah's real problem turned out to be two gaps, not one. The bump cushion fixed her front and left her lower back hanging. She moved to two small wedges, front and back, joined under her, with a thin pillow between her knees and the fan on low. In August, Sam found her asleep before him for the first time all summer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Candide Multirelax Air+?
It is a reversible version of Candide's curved Multirelax cushion. Retailer listings describe one face as memory foam under cotton jersey and the other as microbeads behind a micro-perforated mesh.
Is the Multirelax Air+ firmer than the Cotton?
On its foam face, yes, per retailer descriptions. Its bead and mesh face is described as softer, closer to the Cotton version's single bead surface.
Can you wash the Candide Multirelax?
The cover comes off and machine washes at 30°C on both versions. Retailer care notes say the bead section should only be wiped with a damp cloth. Check the label for the foam.
How big is the Multirelax Air+?
French retailers list it at about 58 x 36 x 19 cm, roughly 23 x 14 x 7.5 inches, with a 70 cm zip. That is the size lying flat, before you press on it.
Does the Multirelax support your back during pregnancy?
It is a single curved cushion, usually placed under the bump. It does not hold your bump and back at the same time, so most people add a second pillow behind them.
If you need your back held as well as your bump
Relvay does not make a reversible or bead cushion, and if switching firmness is what you want, the Air+ is built for that. The Relvay 3-Piece is a different idea: two small crescent wedges, one under your bump and one at your lower back, joined by a flat strap under you. It is polyester filled with one soft ribbed cover, not a mesh face. It is for people like Farrah who found one cushion left the other side empty.
Two wedges for bump and back, joined by a flat strap, about as wide as your torso. Keep a regular pillow between your knees. $79.99, 90-day returns.
Probably not for you if
- You want two different feels to flip between.
- You only need something under your bump.
- Heat is your main problem and you want a mesh surface.
Worth a look if
- You need bump and back support at the same time.
- You share a full or queen bed in the US.
- You will keep a regular pillow between your knees.
Farrah's story is a composite based on real reviews and public posts from pregnant side sleepers. Names and details are changed.
